On Fri, Mar 9, 2012 at 4:21 AM, Gabriel Scherer <gabriel.sche...@gmail.com> wrote: > I think this is a case of using a fancy new construction when a > simpler construction would do just as well. > For some reasons some people, even beginners, are absolutely fond of > first-class modules, and insist on using them in situation where > they're really not needed. I not eager to see what they will do with > GADTs... > <useful code snippet removed> > > I think learning *not to use* fancy features is just as fun as using them. >
To be fair, part of the process of learning when not to use fancy features is using them, then discovering when these features made a solution worse rather than better. Polymorphic variants, the object system, first class modules, GADTs - these all open up fun new ways to approach problems. They may not always be the 'best' tool for a particular job, but not every implementation needs to be the 'best'. When this learning and iteration process takes place on a public forum other users get to learn from the experience as well. With that said, suggestions for implementation simplifications are important and fun to read too. Hez -- Caml-list mailing list. Subscription management and archives: https://sympa-roc.inria.fr/wws/info/caml-list Beginner's list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocaml_beginners Bug reports: http://caml.inria.fr/bin/caml-bugs